Great site:
http://www.coedmagazine.com/Daily/11831
Here's an excerpt:
General Guidelines and Must-Know Lingo: These are some guidelines, terms and phrases you should know before arriving.
* If you don’t know where to go, ask directions. We will happily help you. But only ask once. If you forget, you’re on your own.
* Keep your wallet in your front pocket, and don’t walk around with your money out.
* PAY ATTENTION to everything you’re doing. We have to, and so do you.
* The City: Manhattan (as opposed to the other four boroughs of New York City)
* Uptown: North, Upper East Side, Upper West Side and Harlem.
* Downtown: South; also refers to anywhere south of 14th street, most often used when referencing the Lower East Side, SoHo (south of Houston), NoHo (north of houston) and the Village.
* Houston: Pronounced “house-ton,” not like the city in Texas.
* The Train: the subway
* F**king move!: “Excuse me, please get out of my way quickly.”
* Let me get: “May I have…” Used when ordering anything. Not considered rude.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
Things I Learned in Japan / Blasting Away Stereotypes
I'm going to be doing a webcomic, (hopefully soon) that will touch on a lot of the experiences I had in Japan. My college years were one of those hard / needed experiences that left me burnt out for a long time. I went to Cooper Union. For those that don't know, it specializes in Art, Architecture and the mother of hard, engineering. It's a full scholarship school but in exchange, they kind of take your soul. But I took it back.
It wasn't just hard classes, it was things at home going wrong, realizing as I look back now that the wolf pack mentality my godbro talked about existed strongly in my family. I was always a lone wolf. I didn't fit in anywhere, especially in my family. But my family needed an omega and they couldn't stand that I refused to be. But people who get bullied often go in to the submissive omega role to avoid pain. My godbro always talked about pain as a very effective tool. All that's another story.
But I got out because that was my goal, and as far away as possible. I got accepted in to the JET program and then the Fulbright scholarship -- and there was no way I was turning down a Fulbright scholarship! So I did it. I was going on an all expense paid trip to Japan.
I didn't get to pick my town but I made it to Tokyo a little later. I ended up in Sendai first 'cause the scholarship said so. A major city but still in the boonies. Now with the background finished, I'm just going to go over some quick things that I learned in Japan and how these stereotypes seriously needed to be shattered.
A) America is filled with many different people. Yes. You are American? You don't look American. (I get this even in New York, which I'll never understand. Japan has ignorance as an excuse, Sendai city was pretty much mono-ethnic, but NYC of all places is not).
Japan: America has white, black and nikkeijin (American born Japanese)
Me: You just said America's pretty much a melting pot yet you don't think other Asians are born and raised there?
Japan: ummm..... (thinks about this)
B) Suburbia
Me: I live in Queens.
Japan: That is in New York?
Me: yeah, by subway about an hour to downtown Manhattan.
Japan: Oh, so you live in the countryside
Me: Um, noooo ... see, there are many parts of New York. To us, countryside means corn stalks and fields and farms. Queens is one of the 5 boroughs that make up New York City. We also have Upstate New York and Long Island. Upstate has some country (but I've never seen it, can't stand people staring at me cause they've never seen an Asian) and Long Island's like suburbia where there are private houses and lawns and ...
Japan: Oh! countryside
Me: .....
C) America is largely viewed as mainly white. After I dyed my hair red. I was going for auburn but it turned a cool copper color. I started getting passed as mixed.
Japan: How come your eyes are brown?
Me: I'm Chinese.
Japan: But you are American.
Me: Ye-es ...
Japan: Shouldn't you have blue eyes?
Me: Oh, you see, all Americans are born white but we decide to change around our teenage years. I decided to be a mixed breed of Asian and Caucasian. (As Steve Byrne says, 'Cauc-asian')
Japan: Oh! (nods head in understanding)
Me: I was joking.
Japan: (pause) Really?!
D) America has no racism
Japan: You have so many different people, why do you say there is racism.
Me: Because we have so many different people, cultures, upbringing, there is a lot of conflict. People judge harshly on something as trivial as the color of someone's skin and then everything else is subject to it.
Japan: But why?
Me: Asians have very similar cultures but this half of the world still can't get along. America has all these people from all over, there's bound to be misunderstanding and miscommunication.
Racism in Japan and America. I tried to become an actress in Japan because I pass as Japanese and I didn't want to play a prostitute or something stereotypical, (which is pretty much what Asians are relegated to in American cinema). I figured, I look like everyone else, why not? But then I was deemed 'not white enough' to be American. Being Chinese and proud of it didn't help either. Still lots of Japanese who really hate other Asians.
Japan: Everyone has an equal chance in America. How come you don't go to Hollywood?
Me: Cause they really don't like Asians there.
Japan: Really?
Me: Take a look at our movies. How many Asians are in American cinema?
Japan: Jackie Chan
Me: Made it first in Asia
Japan: Jet Li
Me: Made it first in Asia. Now what do they play?
Japan: uh...
Me: the kung fu master or the yellow peril enemy
Japan: I never thought about that
Me: And everything that's exported, African Americans are all gangsters, Asian men are the ones they fight in wars and Asian women are the ones they hump and everywhere it's violent, that's not America. Those are just stereotypes. That doesn't represent all of America.
Good thing things are changing. Slowly. RAAAAIIIN! woohoo! He did well in Speed Racer, I thought.
E) Woa! Look at them titties!
Okay, this was one of the things that I loved about Japan. In China, Taiwan, maybe even Korea, I'd be a big fat cow. I grew up around a lot of racism and I was made to feel very unpretty. Not just by people outside my race but by the guys within my race. But I grew a pair (I'm not talking just bravery here), must be the milk but I developed early.
And Japan likes jelly (as Beyonce would say) on women. I got a lot of attention. For the first time I felt what it was like to be desirable and it was very flattering. When I came back stateside, it's because of Lucy Liu, Kelly Hu and Michelle Yeoh, and, well, things were changing. But those years in Japan helped a lot. I got a lot more confident and I began to become more comfortable in my own skin.
It really hit home after someone emailed me about my resume. I had dropped it off at this company and the guy that was looking at it happened to have come from my college (small world!). He said that everyone was talking about me, the 'bijin' (beautiful woman) that stopped in. He wasn't there at the time so he asked if I wanted to meet up.
But it is upsetting when a country becomes more obsessed with breasts and thighs than Kentucky Fried Chicken. Okay, an 11 year old with boobs that's paraded out there? They say, don't judge a culture, but a kid is just a kid!
F) Your name isn't American. You must not be native.
Me: So what's an American name?
Japan: Mary
Me: European
Japan: Um, Jane.
Me: European again.
Japan: Um .. Nina!
Me: Russian.
Japan: Oh.
Me: There is really no such thing as a pure American name. Americans come from all over the world. European names are accepted. Why not Asian? I'd love to see a non Asian dude called Fei Hung, that would just be cool! Can you imagine that? You're named after the great Wong Fei Hung? That's right! My parents loved him! Incredible historical figure.
Asian guy: My name's Samuel L. Jackson Lee.
World: Woa!
Asian guy: That's right. Hand me my sword, it's the one that says, 'badass motherfucker' on it.
G) To a lot of Americans, all Asians look alike.
Japan: What?! But we're all different. That's ridiculous!
Other Japan: Well, all white people look alike to me.
Japan: That's true! hahahaha!
H) I speak better English than the French guy.
Japan: But he's white. You're Chinese, how come your English is better?
Me: He's French and I was born and raised in America. And despite being a product of the New York City public school system, I ended up getting a great education.
Japan: (long pause) But he's white! You're not.
Me:
I) He's a dick ... but he's sooo cute -- um, no he's not (I was debating about titling this one, 'Looks Are Everything' or 'If you can't get laid anywhere else ...')
Japan: Check out my boyfriend! (Shows a cellphone pic) Isn't he so good looking?
Me (and my friend from Sydney): .... (no comment)
Japan: His eyes are green! (phone rings. A very angry and rude guy at the other end. Hangs up.) That was my boyfriend.
Friend from Sydney: And you let him talk that way to you?
Japan: But he has blond hair and green eyes!
Me: So that excuses him from being an asshole?
Japan: But he has blond hair and green eyes!
Friend from Sydney: Honey, he's fucking butt ugly and a jerk. Back at home, he would be drop kicked and labeled as a warning for other women.
J) I Teach You English, You Love Me Long Time (Jerks that come to Japan just to lay anybody)
Foreigner guy: Hi! (talks very slow because he's either full of himself or thinks all girls he hits on are retards). My. Name. Is. John. How. Are. You?
Me (playing along with a fake accent): Oh! I am fine. And you?
Foreigner guy: I'm great! Your English is really good. Did you study in the states?
Me: Oh, little bit.
Foreigner guy: We should have a language exchange (hint hint wink wink). I know a place that's open all night.
Me (back to my New York flair): No thanks asshole. I don't like little dicks.
To be continued ...
It wasn't just hard classes, it was things at home going wrong, realizing as I look back now that the wolf pack mentality my godbro talked about existed strongly in my family. I was always a lone wolf. I didn't fit in anywhere, especially in my family. But my family needed an omega and they couldn't stand that I refused to be. But people who get bullied often go in to the submissive omega role to avoid pain. My godbro always talked about pain as a very effective tool. All that's another story.
But I got out because that was my goal, and as far away as possible. I got accepted in to the JET program and then the Fulbright scholarship -- and there was no way I was turning down a Fulbright scholarship! So I did it. I was going on an all expense paid trip to Japan.
I didn't get to pick my town but I made it to Tokyo a little later. I ended up in Sendai first 'cause the scholarship said so. A major city but still in the boonies. Now with the background finished, I'm just going to go over some quick things that I learned in Japan and how these stereotypes seriously needed to be shattered.
A) America is filled with many different people. Yes. You are American? You don't look American. (I get this even in New York, which I'll never understand. Japan has ignorance as an excuse, Sendai city was pretty much mono-ethnic, but NYC of all places is not).
Japan: America has white, black and nikkeijin (American born Japanese)
Me: You just said America's pretty much a melting pot yet you don't think other Asians are born and raised there?
Japan: ummm..... (thinks about this)
B) Suburbia
Me: I live in Queens.
Japan: That is in New York?
Me: yeah, by subway about an hour to downtown Manhattan.
Japan: Oh, so you live in the countryside
Me: Um, noooo ... see, there are many parts of New York. To us, countryside means corn stalks and fields and farms. Queens is one of the 5 boroughs that make up New York City. We also have Upstate New York and Long Island. Upstate has some country (but I've never seen it, can't stand people staring at me cause they've never seen an Asian) and Long Island's like suburbia where there are private houses and lawns and ...
Japan: Oh! countryside
Me: .....
C) America is largely viewed as mainly white. After I dyed my hair red. I was going for auburn but it turned a cool copper color. I started getting passed as mixed.
Japan: How come your eyes are brown?
Me: I'm Chinese.
Japan: But you are American.
Me: Ye-es ...
Japan: Shouldn't you have blue eyes?
Me: Oh, you see, all Americans are born white but we decide to change around our teenage years. I decided to be a mixed breed of Asian and Caucasian. (As Steve Byrne says, 'Cauc-asian')
Japan: Oh! (nods head in understanding)
Me: I was joking.
Japan: (pause) Really?!
D) America has no racism
Japan: You have so many different people, why do you say there is racism.
Me: Because we have so many different people, cultures, upbringing, there is a lot of conflict. People judge harshly on something as trivial as the color of someone's skin and then everything else is subject to it.
Japan: But why?
Me: Asians have very similar cultures but this half of the world still can't get along. America has all these people from all over, there's bound to be misunderstanding and miscommunication.
Racism in Japan and America. I tried to become an actress in Japan because I pass as Japanese and I didn't want to play a prostitute or something stereotypical, (which is pretty much what Asians are relegated to in American cinema). I figured, I look like everyone else, why not? But then I was deemed 'not white enough' to be American. Being Chinese and proud of it didn't help either. Still lots of Japanese who really hate other Asians.
Japan: Everyone has an equal chance in America. How come you don't go to Hollywood?
Me: Cause they really don't like Asians there.
Japan: Really?
Me: Take a look at our movies. How many Asians are in American cinema?
Japan: Jackie Chan
Me: Made it first in Asia
Japan: Jet Li
Me: Made it first in Asia. Now what do they play?
Japan: uh...
Me: the kung fu master or the yellow peril enemy
Japan: I never thought about that
Me: And everything that's exported, African Americans are all gangsters, Asian men are the ones they fight in wars and Asian women are the ones they hump and everywhere it's violent, that's not America. Those are just stereotypes. That doesn't represent all of America.
Good thing things are changing. Slowly. RAAAAIIIN! woohoo! He did well in Speed Racer, I thought.
E) Woa! Look at them titties!
Okay, this was one of the things that I loved about Japan. In China, Taiwan, maybe even Korea, I'd be a big fat cow. I grew up around a lot of racism and I was made to feel very unpretty. Not just by people outside my race but by the guys within my race. But I grew a pair (I'm not talking just bravery here), must be the milk but I developed early.
And Japan likes jelly (as Beyonce would say) on women. I got a lot of attention. For the first time I felt what it was like to be desirable and it was very flattering. When I came back stateside, it's because of Lucy Liu, Kelly Hu and Michelle Yeoh, and, well, things were changing. But those years in Japan helped a lot. I got a lot more confident and I began to become more comfortable in my own skin.
It really hit home after someone emailed me about my resume. I had dropped it off at this company and the guy that was looking at it happened to have come from my college (small world!). He said that everyone was talking about me, the 'bijin' (beautiful woman) that stopped in. He wasn't there at the time so he asked if I wanted to meet up.
But it is upsetting when a country becomes more obsessed with breasts and thighs than Kentucky Fried Chicken. Okay, an 11 year old with boobs that's paraded out there? They say, don't judge a culture, but a kid is just a kid!
F) Your name isn't American. You must not be native.
Me: So what's an American name?
Japan: Mary
Me: European
Japan: Um, Jane.
Me: European again.
Japan: Um .. Nina!
Me: Russian.
Japan: Oh.
Me: There is really no such thing as a pure American name. Americans come from all over the world. European names are accepted. Why not Asian? I'd love to see a non Asian dude called Fei Hung, that would just be cool! Can you imagine that? You're named after the great Wong Fei Hung? That's right! My parents loved him! Incredible historical figure.
Asian guy: My name's Samuel L. Jackson Lee.
World: Woa!
Asian guy: That's right. Hand me my sword, it's the one that says, 'badass motherfucker' on it.
G) To a lot of Americans, all Asians look alike.
Japan: What?! But we're all different. That's ridiculous!
Other Japan: Well, all white people look alike to me.
Japan: That's true! hahahaha!
H) I speak better English than the French guy.
Japan: But he's white. You're Chinese, how come your English is better?
Me: He's French and I was born and raised in America. And despite being a product of the New York City public school system, I ended up getting a great education.
Japan: (long pause) But he's white! You're not.
Me:
I) He's a dick ... but he's sooo cute -- um, no he's not (I was debating about titling this one, 'Looks Are Everything' or 'If you can't get laid anywhere else ...')
Japan: Check out my boyfriend! (Shows a cellphone pic) Isn't he so good looking?
Me (and my friend from Sydney): .... (no comment)
Japan: His eyes are green! (phone rings. A very angry and rude guy at the other end. Hangs up.) That was my boyfriend.
Friend from Sydney: And you let him talk that way to you?
Japan: But he has blond hair and green eyes!
Me: So that excuses him from being an asshole?
Japan: But he has blond hair and green eyes!
Friend from Sydney: Honey, he's fucking butt ugly and a jerk. Back at home, he would be drop kicked and labeled as a warning for other women.
J) I Teach You English, You Love Me Long Time (Jerks that come to Japan just to lay anybody)
Foreigner guy: Hi! (talks very slow because he's either full of himself or thinks all girls he hits on are retards). My. Name. Is. John. How. Are. You?
Me (playing along with a fake accent): Oh! I am fine. And you?
Foreigner guy: I'm great! Your English is really good. Did you study in the states?
Me:
Foreigner guy: We should have a language exchange (hint hint wink wink). I know a place that's open all night.
Me (back to my New York flair): No thanks asshole. I don't like little dicks.
To be continued ...
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Ninja Assassin
Cause it's got RAIN in it -- and looking badass!
http://www.cinematical.com/2008/06/02/new-info-on-wachowskis-ninja-assassins/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1186367/
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Right Brain / Left Brain
I'm ... unusual
what's really weird? I feel pain and I can read in my night time dreams. I have some control over my dreams and as for my waking ones, from the paths I choose in life, I'm definitely unconventional.
I try so hard to order my life yet my life is largely dependent on chaos. Will wonders never cease.
I took these tests on whether I am right or left brain dominant. Here are my results:
Are You Right or Left Brained?
personality tests by similarminds.com
Are You Right or Left Brained?(word pair test)
personality tests by similarminds.com
what's really weird? I feel pain and I can read in my night time dreams. I have some control over my dreams and as for my waking ones, from the paths I choose in life, I'm definitely unconventional.
I try so hard to order my life yet my life is largely dependent on chaos. Will wonders never cease.
I took these tests on whether I am right or left brain dominant. Here are my results:
Brain Lateralization Test Results |
| Right Brain (48%) The right hemisphere is the visual, figurative, artistic, and intuitive side of the brain. Left Brain (46%) The left hemisphere is the logical, articulate, assertive, and practical side of the brain |
personality tests by similarminds.com
Brain Lateralization Test Results |
| Right Brain (48.4%) The right hemisphere is the visual, figurative, artistic, and intuitive side of the brain. Left Brain (51.6%) The left hemisphere is the logical, articulate, assertive, and practical side of the brain |
personality tests by similarminds.com
Monday, July 21, 2008
Get A Receipt / Record
A friend came to me today to ask about a transaction she made at the Citibank ATM. She made a cash deposit at the local branch's ATM. Everything looked good so she exited the ATM without getting a record.
Today she got a notice telling her she's been fined for insufficient funds.
I told her to call the number on the letter (not our local branch cause the people there are very unprofessional). Luckily, they were able to see that she did deposit the money and they did have the record of the amount and time. As a result, her account was credited and the penalty was canceled.
One definite note I gave her was to get the name of the customer service rep she spoke to as well as the time she called and any important notes down on paper.
In the US there is a lot of fraud as well as businesses who do not take responsibility for their errors. As a result. ALWAYS GET A RECEIPT / RECORD.
I had a problem with my HSBC credit card. I tried to refill my MetroCard via the machine and even though it showed that my card was filled it could not be used. The machine wouldn't give me a receipt either. HSBC was kind enough to credit my account.
Except they didn't. They charged my credit card for the amount I was disputing. So now I was double penalized. It took 3 phone calls to sort it out but I got the name of everyone I spoke to and I was ready to present my case every time. The customer reps are busy, I know, but that also means they only take a cursory look at your record and don't know everything that went on.
Getting the name is also valuable because if you get a customer service rep who isn't very 'nice' you can fight back with how well you know the situation so that person has no way of ripping you off.
I believe I mentioned this is a previous entry. Keep track of what you use your credit card for. And with everything, whether it's ordering online or buying something at the post office, if it's something big, get a record or receipt of it. It will help you alot in the future when things go awry.
Today she got a notice telling her she's been fined for insufficient funds.
I told her to call the number on the letter (not our local branch cause the people there are very unprofessional). Luckily, they were able to see that she did deposit the money and they did have the record of the amount and time. As a result, her account was credited and the penalty was canceled.
One definite note I gave her was to get the name of the customer service rep she spoke to as well as the time she called and any important notes down on paper.
In the US there is a lot of fraud as well as businesses who do not take responsibility for their errors. As a result. ALWAYS GET A RECEIPT / RECORD.
I had a problem with my HSBC credit card. I tried to refill my MetroCard via the machine and even though it showed that my card was filled it could not be used. The machine wouldn't give me a receipt either. HSBC was kind enough to credit my account.
Except they didn't. They charged my credit card for the amount I was disputing. So now I was double penalized. It took 3 phone calls to sort it out but I got the name of everyone I spoke to and I was ready to present my case every time. The customer reps are busy, I know, but that also means they only take a cursory look at your record and don't know everything that went on.
Getting the name is also valuable because if you get a customer service rep who isn't very 'nice' you can fight back with how well you know the situation so that person has no way of ripping you off.
I believe I mentioned this is a previous entry. Keep track of what you use your credit card for. And with everything, whether it's ordering online or buying something at the post office, if it's something big, get a record or receipt of it. It will help you alot in the future when things go awry.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Hip Hop & Me
Asian Hip Hop Summit
http://www.asiaticempire.org/
For those in to the Hip Hop scene, this looks hot.
And as promised in my last blog, this is the movie I'll be in:
The Children of Hip Hop
http://www.thechildrenofhiphopmovie.com/
I have a small part in the film. I got the part after the 3rd callback and I'm psyched! My first film. It's indie and ultra low budget but I met the cast, director and producers and this film has a lot of heart. I could tell by the passion from the reading and the way people spoke about this film. I'm hoping to see more positive elements but the film does have a lot of real grit. For native New Yorkers there are parts that will hit home.
We just had our first rehearsal reading last Saturday and I'll be called in on Thursday or Sunday for another rehearsal. Shooting of my scene will be next month.
I'll post more updates as we go along.
Hope everyone will watch and enjoy!
http://www.asiaticempire.org/
For those in to the Hip Hop scene, this looks hot.
And as promised in my last blog, this is the movie I'll be in:
The Children of Hip Hop
http://www.thechildrenofhiphopmovie.com/
I have a small part in the film. I got the part after the 3rd callback and I'm psyched! My first film. It's indie and ultra low budget but I met the cast, director and producers and this film has a lot of heart. I could tell by the passion from the reading and the way people spoke about this film. I'm hoping to see more positive elements but the film does have a lot of real grit. For native New Yorkers there are parts that will hit home.
We just had our first rehearsal reading last Saturday and I'll be called in on Thursday or Sunday for another rehearsal. Shooting of my scene will be next month.
I'll post more updates as we go along.
Hope everyone will watch and enjoy!
Here Are More Sexy Asian Men
Asian women get a lot of love but what about the overlooked sexy Asian man?
http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2008/07/meet_emporio_armani_underwears_1.html
Takeshi Kaneshiro will be the new, um, face, for Armani underwear ads. I will always remember him as the cute, shy boy with dark rimmed glasses. I saw him not too long ago in Warlords and in addition to looks, he's sporting those damn fine acting chops.
For those who don't know what this sexy man looks like:
http://asiandramaddict.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/takeshi.jpg
In some old but good news, Rain:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1186367/
in Ninja Assassin or ... Ninja Scroll? And he's starring in it! Woohoo! I just love it when us Asian are showing our sexy asses all over the media spectrum -- in a good way!
And yes, this is him in all his hotness:
And just a final mention cause I just saw Seducing Mr. Perfect
http://www.asianbite.com/AsianAmericanImages/Daniel-Henney-9.jpg
and yes, there are girls (and some guys) out there going, Chen, where have you been?
I've been buried in books and every now and then I peek up when a studly walks by. C'mon! nantech can only hold my attention for so long until guys this fine walk by.
And yes, there are many many more but before I get addicted to Google images looking this up, I need to get through another robotics book.
Oh, yeah, and rehearsals for an upcoming movie I'll be in started. Will post in the next blog
Enjoy, y'all!
http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2008/07/meet_emporio_armani_underwears_1.html
Takeshi Kaneshiro will be the new, um, face, for Armani underwear ads. I will always remember him as the cute, shy boy with dark rimmed glasses. I saw him not too long ago in Warlords and in addition to looks, he's sporting those damn fine acting chops.
For those who don't know what this sexy man looks like:
http://asiandramaddict.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/takeshi.jpg
In some old but good news, Rain:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1186367/
in Ninja Assassin or ... Ninja Scroll? And he's starring in it! Woohoo! I just love it when us Asian are showing our sexy asses all over the media spectrum -- in a good way!
And yes, this is him in all his hotness:
And just a final mention cause I just saw Seducing Mr. Perfect
http://www.asianbite.com/AsianAmericanImages/Daniel-Henney-9.jpg
and yes, there are girls (and some guys) out there going, Chen, where have you been?
I've been buried in books and every now and then I peek up when a studly walks by. C'mon! nantech can only hold my attention for so long until guys this fine walk by.
And yes, there are many many more but before I get addicted to Google images looking this up, I need to get through another robotics book.
Oh, yeah, and rehearsals for an upcoming movie I'll be in started. Will post in the next blog
Enjoy, y'all!
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Living in New York Series
Stores and Places of Interest
Drugstores
New York drugstores carrying everything from snacks to that much needed aspirin after 5 hours of cramming.
Here are the two largest chains:
Walgreens
http://www.walgreens.com/
Duane Reade
http://www.duanereade.com/
Rite Aid
http://www.riteaid.com/
There are other smaller drugstores as well. These two have weekly sales so pick up the circular on sundays and see what you need.
Target and K-mart are also large stores that are like a clothing, grocery (minus the fresh veggies and fruits), toy, stationary, electronics, etc. store all in one.
http://www.target.com/
http://www.kmart.com/
For all these sites you can look up the nearest store under 'locations'. You can just type in your address or pop in the zip code. And you can use google maps (mentioned earlier) to get directions. :)
United States Postal Service
http://www.usps.com
Locations are all over New York. Read up on mailing packages, forms, and other services provided by your local post office (minus the attitude, but actually, some post offices are quite civil, just not my local branch).
Banks
The largest banks are:
Chase
Citibank
HSBC
Bank of America
Capital One
And a plethora of Chinese and other Asian banks especially in Elmhurst, Flushing and Chinatown. A few Chinese banks include:
Asia Bank
Chinatrust bank
HSBC
Amerasia
and many others.
To get tho their websites just pop in the name to search.
Personally, I bank with Citibank because of convenience. They even have offices in Tokyo and I can access them through Japan's post office atm machines. Otherwise, my local branch has way too much attitude for me to bank.
As for service, I've received the best from HSBC and Amerasia. Amerasia is very stable but only has a few branches whereas HSBC can compete with the Western banks in terms of branch locations.
I personally don't like the service at Capitol One. Waiting over an hour to receive help from a customer service rep is just unacceptable.
When I visited Chase, they just tried to push too many things on me I didn't need such as loans which would just put me in debt.
The people at these banks are essentially sales people and will try to push you in to services you don't need or want. Learn to say 'no' or 'I'll think about it' and avoid 'limited time deals'. That's just a catch phrase to push you in to something.
Credit Cards
Always good to get a credit card. If you lose it, call up the company as soon as you know and cancel it. Some have good fraud protection. Credit cards can be used almost anywhere in NYC. Just remember to carry a piece of ID.
But the big thing about credit cards that people don't do: READ THE FINE PRINT
Sure, the person pressuring you to sign up for that Bank of America card was just so friendly and you got a free mug to go with it but what they neglect to tell you is the 29% late fee. Yes, it is in the fine print.
Here are the biggest:
American Express
Mastercard
Visa
Discover
Usually, the Discover card is the easiest to get, but it's not accepted everywhere. Check to see if there are any student specials.
My favorite card is the American Express Clear card. No fees of any kind and the rewards are clear. I call it the no bs card :)
All banks carry Visa or Mastercard, however, I have heard some pretty bad things about Capitol One and Bank of America, not to mention Citibank concerning fees as well as really bad customer service.
If you do a search on and 'complaints' you can usually see the experiences other people have had.
The best cards to get have no annual fees or fees of any kind. If this is your first card, you may have to settle for a student card from a bank.
Some words of advice:
Always pay off what you owe. Letting the money pile up will hurt you later on.
Don't use the credit card for needless things, especially if you are living on a budget.
Keep track of what is on the bill. If there are any charges you didn't make, call the company right away and dispute it. All cards can be checked online so you can see what's going on.
Don't pay late. If you can't pay off a bill all at once pay a little at a time every week or every two weeks online. This also gets you in the habit of checking your transactions and keeping track of how much you spend every week :)
Some of this advice may sound self explanatory but you'd be surprised how many people think of credit cards as 'cash for free'.
Supermarkets / Grocery stores
Whole Foods is the big one in Manhattan. In my neighborhood I've seen Food Bazaar and Ctown. Check out your neighborhood. Also, every week they have sales so check them out.
Computers and Electronics
Ahhh, I will go into a whole section on this at another time. I never pay full price for electronics unless I am in a hurry. The big stores:
Best Buy
Circuit City
CompuUSA
Radio Shack
J&R
and there are others that are slipping my mind. As usual, you can check out where the nearest stores are through their websites' 'location' link.
Personally, I buy all my computer and electronics needs online.
http://www.buy.com
http://www.staples.com
http://www.officedepot.com
These sites also have office supplies. Officemax is another but I get the best deals from those sites above.
I will have another article on discount sites where you can save a bundle and I do a lot of research on products and where I can get them the cheapest. I'm not a electronics nut but I look carefully in to everything I buy from headphones to digital cameras.
I'll probably think of more stuff later. Until then, enjoy your stay in NY!
Drugstores
New York drugstores carrying everything from snacks to that much needed aspirin after 5 hours of cramming.
Here are the two largest chains:
Walgreens
http://www.walgreens.com/
Duane Reade
http://www.duanereade.com/
Rite Aid
http://www.riteaid.com/
There are other smaller drugstores as well. These two have weekly sales so pick up the circular on sundays and see what you need.
Target and K-mart are also large stores that are like a clothing, grocery (minus the fresh veggies and fruits), toy, stationary, electronics, etc. store all in one.
http://www.target.com/
http://www.kmart.com/
For all these sites you can look up the nearest store under 'locations'. You can just type in your address or pop in the zip code. And you can use google maps (mentioned earlier) to get directions. :)
United States Postal Service
http://www.usps.com
Locations are all over New York. Read up on mailing packages, forms, and other services provided by your local post office (minus the attitude, but actually, some post offices are quite civil, just not my local branch).
Banks
The largest banks are:
Chase
Citibank
HSBC
Bank of America
Capital One
And a plethora of Chinese and other Asian banks especially in Elmhurst, Flushing and Chinatown. A few Chinese banks include:
Asia Bank
Chinatrust bank
HSBC
Amerasia
and many others.
To get tho their websites just pop in the name to search.
Personally, I bank with Citibank because of convenience. They even have offices in Tokyo and I can access them through Japan's post office atm machines. Otherwise, my local branch has way too much attitude for me to bank.
As for service, I've received the best from HSBC and Amerasia. Amerasia is very stable but only has a few branches whereas HSBC can compete with the Western banks in terms of branch locations.
I personally don't like the service at Capitol One. Waiting over an hour to receive help from a customer service rep is just unacceptable.
When I visited Chase, they just tried to push too many things on me I didn't need such as loans which would just put me in debt.
The people at these banks are essentially sales people and will try to push you in to services you don't need or want. Learn to say 'no' or 'I'll think about it' and avoid 'limited time deals'. That's just a catch phrase to push you in to something.
Credit Cards
Always good to get a credit card. If you lose it, call up the company as soon as you know and cancel it. Some have good fraud protection. Credit cards can be used almost anywhere in NYC. Just remember to carry a piece of ID.
But the big thing about credit cards that people don't do: READ THE FINE PRINT
Sure, the person pressuring you to sign up for that Bank of America card was just so friendly and you got a free mug to go with it
Here are the biggest:
American Express
Mastercard
Visa
Discover
Usually, the Discover card is the easiest to get, but it's not accepted everywhere. Check to see if there are any student specials.
My favorite card is the American Express Clear card. No fees of any kind and the rewards are clear. I call it the no bs card :)
All banks carry Visa or Mastercard, however, I have heard some pretty bad things about Capitol One and Bank of America, not to mention Citibank concerning fees as well as really bad customer service.
If you do a search on
The best cards to get have no annual fees or fees of any kind. If this is your first card, you may have to settle for a student card from a bank.
Some words of advice:
Always pay off what you owe. Letting the money pile up will hurt you later on.
Don't use the credit card for needless things, especially if you are living on a budget.
Keep track of what is on the bill. If there are any charges you didn't make, call the company right away and dispute it. All cards can be checked online so you can see what's going on.
Don't pay late. If you can't pay off a bill all at once pay a little at a time every week or every two weeks online. This also gets you in the habit of checking your transactions and keeping track of how much you spend every week :)
Some of this advice may sound self explanatory but you'd be surprised how many people think of credit cards as 'cash for free'.
Supermarkets / Grocery stores
Whole Foods is the big one in Manhattan. In my neighborhood I've seen Food Bazaar and Ctown. Check out your neighborhood. Also, every week they have sales so check them out.
Computers and Electronics
Ahhh, I will go into a whole section on this at another time. I never pay full price for electronics unless I am in a hurry. The big stores:
Best Buy
Circuit City
CompuUSA
Radio Shack
J&R
and there are others that are slipping my mind. As usual, you can check out where the nearest stores are through their websites' 'location' link.
Personally, I buy all my computer and electronics needs online.
http://www.buy.com
http://www.staples.com
http://www.officedepot.com
These sites also have office supplies. Officemax is another but I get the best deals from those sites above.
I will have another article on discount sites where you can save a bundle and I do a lot of research on products and where I can get them the cheapest. I'm not a electronics nut but I look carefully in to everything I buy from headphones to digital cameras.
I'll probably think of more stuff later. Until then, enjoy your stay in NY!
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Living in New York Series
Finding An Apartment
Get to know the areas of NYC:
http://www.cityguideny.com/viewpage.cfm?colid=4362
This is just Manhattan. Areas of Queens include Flushing, Astoria, Elmhurst, Sunnyside, Woodside, and many others. I don't know much about Brooklyn though.
As for places for rent, check out this page for some more advice:
http://www.yourtype.com/survive/apartment_hunting.htm
And check out / join school mailing lists. Columbia, CUNYs, NYU, etc.
Here are a few:
Columbia Chinese Students and Scholars:
http://www.cucssa.org/pub/modules/newbb/viewforum.php?forum=3
Columbia University Taiwanese Students Association
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ColumbiaTSA/
NYU Taiwanese Student Associations
http://nyutsa.com/wordpress/?page_id=6
CUNY Apartments (only for CUNY students though)
http://www.campusrent.com/The_City_University_of_New_York_Apartments.cfm
Also the magazines 'Village Voice' and 'Loot' which are free. You can pick them up at places like Barnes & Nobles.
Craigslist is also a place:
http://newyork.craigslist.org/
There are many other sites as well. As always, be careful!
Good luck and happy hunting!
Get to know the areas of NYC:
http://www.cityguideny.com/viewpage.cfm?colid=4362
This is just Manhattan. Areas of Queens include Flushing, Astoria, Elmhurst, Sunnyside, Woodside, and many others. I don't know much about Brooklyn though.
As for places for rent, check out this page for some more advice:
http://www.yourtype.com/survive/apartment_hunting.htm
And check out / join school mailing lists. Columbia, CUNYs, NYU, etc.
Here are a few:
Columbia Chinese Students and Scholars:
http://www.cucssa.org/pub/modules/newbb/viewforum.php?forum=3
Columbia University Taiwanese Students Association
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ColumbiaTSA/
NYU Taiwanese Student Associations
http://nyutsa.com/wordpress/?page_id=6
CUNY Apartments (only for CUNY students though)
http://www.campusrent.com/The_City_University_of_New_York_Apartments.cfm
Also the magazines 'Village Voice' and 'Loot' which are free. You can pick them up at places like Barnes & Nobles.
Craigslist is also a place:
http://newyork.craigslist.org/
There are many other sites as well. As always, be careful!
Good luck and happy hunting!
Living in New York Series
Short Term Stays
Okay, you've made it to New York and you're really anxious about finding a place to stay - long term. But where do you live while you are looking?
Here are a few places:
Hostels
http://www.hostels.com/en/us.ny.ny.html
http://gonyc.about.com/od/hostels/New_York_Hostels.htm
http://www.ny.com/hotels/budget.html
For those who have never heard of hostels, they are usually dormitory like places students and backpackers stay. Pretty cheap but in some places, be careful with your stuff. My friend had a pair of smelly tennis shoes stolen. He still doesn't know why.
YMCA
http://www.ymca.net/about_the_ymca/rooms_for_travelers.html
Book early as the NYC ones fill up fast!
Also, check out the Chinese and Taiwanese mailing lists I'm posting in the next section
Okay, you've made it to New York and you're really anxious about finding a place to stay - long term. But where do you live while you are looking?
Here are a few places:
Hostels
http://www.hostels.com/en/us.ny.ny.html
http://gonyc.about.com/od/hostels/New_York_Hostels.htm
http://www.ny.com/hotels/budget.html
For those who have never heard of hostels, they are usually dormitory like places students and backpackers stay. Pretty cheap but in some places, be careful with your stuff. My friend had a pair of smelly tennis shoes stolen. He still doesn't know why.
YMCA
http://www.ymca.net/about_the_ymca/rooms_for_travelers.html
Book early as the NYC ones fill up fast!
Also, check out the Chinese and Taiwanese mailing lists I'm posting in the next section
Living in New York Series
When to Search for An Apartment, What to Look For and Look Out For, and Some Advice About Living in the City
Okay, you've come to New York, and if you've read my previous entry, you know how to make use of the subway system.
The best time to look for an apartment is generally right before summer (around May) and at the end of summer (August / September).
At the beginning of summer school is out and people are looking to sublet their places. During summer is also a good time to look for temporary stays.
At the end of summer / beginning of Fall that is when school starts and a lot of apartments are open for renting for short and long term.
In truth, New York is a very lively city and there are always apartments for rent. Cost and location are definitely key considerations, however.
Things to Be Careful Of
Get a receipt if you are putting down a deposit or paying the first month's rent or for anything you are giving money for. There are shady people who will take your money and then deny you the apartment. If you have a receipt it is proof that you paid money and it is usable in court.
If you have your own room make sure it has a lock on it. Your valuables are just that -- valuable. I had a friend whose landlady wouldn't allow rooms to be locked. That posed a major problem as the other roommate was, well, evil. What if her passport was taken? Or money? Would the landlady take responsible? In her case, no, so my friend had to move out.
Key. You should receive a key so you can freely enter and leave the apartment. Not receiving a key is unreasonable. Do you have to wait for the landlord/lady to be home to open the door for you? Worse, if the person is unreasonable, he or she can lock you out and you can't get to your belongings.
Internet. If a place doesn't provide internet then you can afford it. If you are only living here one year all the internet companies have major deals and split among roommates makes the cost very cheap.
I know everyone loves free internet but the person whose name is on the bill is the one responsible. And yes, America monitors where we surf. It's one thing to surf naughty sites, but most people don't want to be responsible if their tenants are visiting unseemly sites. To spell it out for you -- fear of terrorism. So if a landlord / lady does not include internet, don't push it. They have their reasons and they don't want to embarrass anyone by talking about it.
Advice:
Location. Check out the area always. I see a lot of people on mailing lists and who have answered ads I've posted who say they want to rent a room or an apartment without even seeing the apartment.
The key phrase here is 'Look Before You Leap'
Check out the area first and foremost. Is it convenient? Will you do cooking? Are there supermarkets nearby? Restaurants? Drugstores? How are the prices? You can afford the rent but can you afford to live there?
Check out the roommates. I've heard lots of horror stories about roommates. Meet the roommates, see if you like them. If they are never there that may also be a good thing :)
The worst thing about spending all that money and energy into moving into an apartment is when you have to move out a month later because of a bad roommate (it has happened!)
Commute / travel. How long is it? Cheaper apartments are in Brooklyn and Queens. That being said, can you handle the one hour or more commute? Is it far from the train station or bus stop? A ten or 15 minute walk isn't too bad. Those ten minutes can actually put you in a better neighborhood. Don't forget, unsavory types can be around or live in stations. You may have lucked out and have only a 2 minute walk but how safe is the area?
Just remember, New York is generally safe, but it is still the big city. Even the richest and safest neighborhoods have crime.
Be aware of your surroundings.
Keep track of where your valuables are.
Don't listen to music while you are walking. You need to hear what's going on around you.
I'll probably post more advice when I think of it or to answer questions. Stay safe and have a great time here!
Okay, you've come to New York, and if you've read my previous entry, you know how to make use of the subway system.
The best time to look for an apartment is generally right before summer (around May) and at the end of summer (August / September).
At the beginning of summer school is out and people are looking to sublet their places. During summer is also a good time to look for temporary stays.
At the end of summer / beginning of Fall that is when school starts and a lot of apartments are open for renting for short and long term.
In truth, New York is a very lively city and there are always apartments for rent. Cost and location are definitely key considerations, however.
Things to Be Careful Of
Get a receipt if you are putting down a deposit or paying the first month's rent or for anything you are giving money for. There are shady people who will take your money and then deny you the apartment. If you have a receipt it is proof that you paid money and it is usable in court.
If you have your own room make sure it has a lock on it. Your valuables are just that -- valuable. I had a friend whose landlady wouldn't allow rooms to be locked. That posed a major problem as the other roommate was, well, evil. What if her passport was taken? Or money? Would the landlady take responsible? In her case, no, so my friend had to move out.
Key. You should receive a key so you can freely enter and leave the apartment. Not receiving a key is unreasonable. Do you have to wait for the landlord/lady to be home to open the door for you? Worse, if the person is unreasonable, he or she can lock you out and you can't get to your belongings.
Internet. If a place doesn't provide internet then you can afford it. If you are only living here one year all the internet companies have major deals and split among roommates makes the cost very cheap.
I know everyone loves free internet but the person whose name is on the bill is the one responsible. And yes, America monitors where we surf. It's one thing to surf naughty sites, but most people don't want to be responsible if their tenants are visiting unseemly sites. To spell it out for you -- fear of terrorism. So if a landlord / lady does not include internet, don't push it. They have their reasons and they don't want to embarrass anyone by talking about it.
Advice:
Location. Check out the area always. I see a lot of people on mailing lists and who have answered ads I've posted who say they want to rent a room or an apartment without even seeing the apartment.
The key phrase here is 'Look Before You Leap'
Check out the area first and foremost. Is it convenient? Will you do cooking? Are there supermarkets nearby? Restaurants? Drugstores? How are the prices? You can afford the rent but can you afford to live there?
Check out the roommates. I've heard lots of horror stories about roommates. Meet the roommates, see if you like them. If they are never there that may also be a good thing :)
The worst thing about spending all that money and energy into moving into an apartment is when you have to move out a month later because of a bad roommate (it has happened!)
Commute / travel. How long is it? Cheaper apartments are in Brooklyn and Queens. That being said, can you handle the one hour or more commute? Is it far from the train station or bus stop? A ten or 15 minute walk isn't too bad. Those ten minutes can actually put you in a better neighborhood. Don't forget, unsavory types can be around or live in stations. You may have lucked out and have only a 2 minute walk but how safe is the area?
Just remember, New York is generally safe, but it is still the big city. Even the richest and safest neighborhoods have crime.
Be aware of your surroundings.
Keep track of where your valuables are.
Don't listen to music while you are walking. You need to hear what's going on around you.
I'll probably post more advice when I think of it or to answer questions. Stay safe and have a great time here!
Living in New York Series
Getting Around
Public transportation runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (barring schedule changes, especially during the weekend, track work, delays, etc.)
http://www.mta.info/nyct/maps/submap.htm
The comprehensive NYC subway map. You can click on stops and it will take you to the train line information showing all the stops. Pretty nifty.
http://www.maps.google.com
I love Google maps. Since I know New York I just pop in the address and it shows me the closest train stations.
Destination guides:
Pop in your starting and destination address, choose times, modes of transportation, and voila!
http://www.hopstop.com/?city=newyork
Even gives little maps of how to get to station and how to get to destination from station.
http://tripplanner.mta.info/
Haven't used this much but the MTA advertises it
http://www.mta.info/alert/alertnyct.htm
I check this site before I leave the house just to see if there are delays.
Also on the MTA site you can get schedule info (but don't count on things being on time).
And a special note, weekends are tragic. Always give yourself at least 20 minutes extra because you don't know what's going on with the trains, especially in Queens.
All in all the subways are the best and most convenient mode of transportation New York has.
Happy trails!
Public transportation runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (barring schedule changes, especially during the weekend, track work, delays, etc.)
http://www.mta.info/nyct/maps/submap.htm
The comprehensive NYC subway map. You can click on stops and it will take you to the train line information showing all the stops. Pretty nifty.
http://www.maps.google.com
I love Google maps. Since I know New York I just pop in the address and it shows me the closest train stations.
Destination guides:
Pop in your starting and destination address, choose times, modes of transportation, and voila!
http://www.hopstop.com/?city=newyork
Even gives little maps of how to get to station and how to get to destination from station.
http://tripplanner.mta.info/
Haven't used this much but the MTA advertises it
http://www.mta.info/alert/alertnyct.htm
I check this site before I leave the house just to see if there are delays.
Also on the MTA site you can get schedule info (but don't count on things being on time).
And a special note, weekends are tragic. Always give yourself at least 20 minutes extra because you don't know what's going on with the trains, especially in Queens.
All in all the subways are the best and most convenient mode of transportation New York has.
Happy trails!
Butler Cafe - a novelty cafe in Shibuya
Okay, I know Angry Asian Man hates this idea but when I first heard of it, all I could say was -- why didn't I think of this?
To be honest, it's a great idea. There are maid cafes and hostess clubs, let's have something for the women!
The women in Japan work very hard. I know it may be seen by those with Asian pride as racist, but things are different in Japan (which is predominantly Japanese, let's face it). Those Snow White and Cinderella stories (and of course, Disney's portrayal of them) all have a shining white knight.
Right or wrong, the idea of a man serving me hand and foot is just pretty damn appealing. And it does help that he's good looking.
And, okay, I'm basing this totally on personal experience after living there for three years, but, there are wonderful Japanese men. And there are also not so great guys that are there (non Japanese included). My friend was going for a major operation and she was so scared she asked her Japanese husband to hold her hand. He flat out refused telling her it wasn't 'proper'.
I've seen guys rush on to the train and take a seat while their girlfriend, carrying an armful of bags are left standing.
I know the culture is completely different, I think that is why the Butler Cafe novelty is so appealing.
I was born and raised in the West. I love big guys who are teddy bears and gentlemen. The guys I'm around know how strong they are and because of that, go out of their way to be gentlemen. As my friend said once, 'I'm confident enough in my manhood.' He can bench about 300 lbs but he'll also hold his girlfriend's bags if they are too heavy and open the door for her.
I see that as admirable. I shouldn't judge Japanese society, but I can see where this cafe is coming from. There was a desire for it and it came to fill it.
To be honest, it's a great idea. There are maid cafes and hostess clubs, let's have something for the women!
The women in Japan work very hard. I know it may be seen by those with Asian pride as racist, but things are different in Japan (which is predominantly Japanese, let's face it). Those Snow White and Cinderella stories (and of course, Disney's portrayal of them) all have a shining white knight.
Right or wrong, the idea of a man serving me hand and foot is just pretty damn appealing. And it does help that he's good looking.
And, okay, I'm basing this totally on personal experience after living there for three years, but, there are wonderful Japanese men. And there are also not so great guys that are there (non Japanese included). My friend was going for a major operation and she was so scared she asked her Japanese husband to hold her hand. He flat out refused telling her it wasn't 'proper'.
I've seen guys rush on to the train and take a seat while their girlfriend, carrying an armful of bags are left standing.
I know the culture is completely different, I think that is why the Butler Cafe novelty is so appealing.
I was born and raised in the West. I love big guys who are teddy bears and gentlemen. The guys I'm around know how strong they are and because of that, go out of their way to be gentlemen. As my friend said once, 'I'm confident enough in my manhood.' He can bench about 300 lbs but he'll also hold his girlfriend's bags if they are too heavy and open the door for her.
I see that as admirable. I shouldn't judge Japanese society, but I can see where this cafe is coming from. There was a desire for it and it came to fill it.
Jabberwokeez! performing in NYC
Museum of Chinese in America presents:
Rebuilding the Bridge
http://ningin.com/rebuildingthebridge/
A benefit for disaster relief funds established by charitable organization MercyCorps.
Please join a ground breaking coalition of Asian American performers and not-for-profit organizations as we raise awareness and dollars to help rebuild China's Sichuan region after one the most devastating natural disasters in recent memory.
Saturday July 12th 7:30PM
Pace University
Michael Schimmel Center of the Arts
3 Spruce Street
New York, NY 10038
RSVP 212-619-4785 ext 106
Rebuilding the Bridge
http://ningin.com/rebuildingthebridge/
A benefit for disaster relief funds established by charitable organization MercyCorps.
Please join a ground breaking coalition of Asian American performers and not-for-profit organizations as we raise awareness and dollars to help rebuild China's Sichuan region after one the most devastating natural disasters in recent memory.
Saturday July 12th 7:30PM
Pace University
Michael Schimmel Center of the Arts
3 Spruce Street
New York, NY 10038
RSVP 212-619-4785 ext 106
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